The rate of growth of Alberta's population is 3.1% per year. Therefore if the population in the base year is P, after n number of years the population will increase at a compounded rate and will be equal to P*(1 + .031) ^n or P*1.031^n.

As its population in 2007 is 3.5 million, in 2017 the population will be 3.5* 1.031^10 = 4.74 million and in 2027 it will be 3.5* 1.031^20 = 6.44 million.

If the rate of growth was the same, the population in the year 2000 was 3.5/1.031^7 = 2.82 million. In 1997 the population was 3.5/1.031^10 = 2.57 million.